Voting-booth.



UNITED STATES iatented May 12, 19053.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. BARROW AND WILLIAM H. BOWERS, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

-V OTING-BOOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 727,735, dated May 12, 1 903 Application filed April 14, 1902. smart. 102,690. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:'

Be it known that we, THOMAS E. BARROW and WILLIAM H. BownRs, citizens of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richlandand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voting-Booths, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in voting-booths to be used at elections held under the Australian ballot system.- I

The objects of our invention are, to wit, to provide a sectional voting-booth, making each section interchangeable, so that any given number can be connected together to form sufficient booths for each voting-precinct; second, to construct each frame separate, the said frames held together by suitable clamps attached to the shelf or desk-board and suitable braoe-rods, the said frames constructed of gas-pipe held together with suitable Ts and elbows, the upper portion made of smaller pipe than the lower portion, the said upper portion adapted to slide within the lower portion when not in use, so they will occupy but very little space; third, to make the booths light, simple to erect, durable, compact, and easily transported to and from the votingprecincts; fourth, to make a cheap, durable, and efficient means for the purpose stated. These objects we accomplish by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a-perspective view showing two of our improved booths connected together, the left-hand booth curtained and complete, the right-hand booth with the front and partition curtain removed to show the mode of connecting each section together. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one of the sections, the

upper portion telescoped within the lower portion as they appear when not in use. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the desks and also portionsof the horizontal rails of the lower frame to show more fully the method of connecting the desks to the sections. Fig. 4 is a top view of a portion of two desks connected upon one rail to show more fully the interchangeable connections.

Fig. 5 is a back view of same, showing the mode of connecting the braces.

Similarletters of reference indicate the sevposed or constructed in two approximately inverted-U shaped parts B and O. The lower frameB is composed of the two vertical tubular posts D and E and horizontal tubular rail F. The said posts and rail are connected together at their ends by Ts G. The ends of the pipes are threaded and screw within the said Ts. The upper portion 0 is made of smaller gas-pipe, so that the vertical posts H and H will slide within the posts D and E. The posts H and H and horizontal bar I are screw-threaded and are connected together by threaded elbows J J.

The construction described is fully shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawngs.

K indicates the shelf or desk,which is made, preferably, of wood. 'lhelength is governed by the width of the booth required. Each end of said shelves is providedupon the under side with outwardly-projecting plates L andM. The plate L is straight and provided near its end with a suitable hole and in which is placed a bolt N, provided with a thumbnut O. The plate M.is curved downward and hooks over the horizontal bar orrail F. The said plates are secured at each end the reverse of each other, as shown in Fig. 4;.

In Fig. 1 we have shown a different form of clamp, which may be used in the place of these described. This clamp consists of a hinged plate P, hinged upon the under side of the shelf. A curved loop Q, formed in the loose arm, surrounds the horizontal bar F. The loose arm is held to the under side of the desk by the bolt and thumb-nut R." S indicates bracer-rods. Two are attached to the back edge of the desk K. The said rods are formed with eyes upon their upper ends and pivoted in said portion by a screw passing through said eye and into the edge of the desk. The lower ends T are bent inwardly and at right angles to the bar. The lower ends pass into holes U in the rear posts. The said braces are for the purpose of holding the sections A in a vertical position and locking each section together. WVhen the upper section is withdrawn from the lower section, it is held in position shown in Fig. 1 by the set-screw V.

We will now describe the curtains which surround each booth. The curtain W, which is the partition-curtain, is provided at each of the upper corners with eyelets which button upon studs X. The said curtain extends downward below the horizontal rail F and is provided with cords Y to secure the lower end of the curtain to the vertical posts D and E. The back curtain B is held at its upper end the same as the curtain NV. The said curtain extends down to a line with the lower edge of the desk and is sewed to the curtain TV at the edge C. The curtains, the partition, and back curtains are alike for all the booths. Sewing them together prevents any dangerof seeing from one booth to the other. The front curtains D are separate. one section to the other upon studs, the lower ends being loose, so that the lower edge can be raised to allow admittance into the booths. It will not be necessary to give a description of the operation, for those skilled in the art will readily understand how it is put together.

It will be observed that while with our construction a series of booths may be made up each having a back wall and on either sidea wall or partition and in front a door wall or curtain the only framing aside from the shelves consists of similar fiat sections lying in one plane without any rods or bars to project laterally from this plane. This greatly facilitates packing the sections, for any such bars or rods, increasing the dimensions in another plane, take up more room when the sections are to be packed unless jointed to fold into the plane of the sections and even if so jointed require special attention or additional means to hold them folded. In our construction the means for bracing the sections apart to form a booth or series of booths are the shelves and braces connected thereto and foldable therewith as the shelf is removed, leaving the frame-sections free from all loose swinging or projecting parts, thus greatly facilitating the handling of parts of their size and proportions. This is especially advantageous in view of the telescoping feature of the frame-sections.

We do not wish to limit ourselves to the exact construction shown for clamping the They are hung from desks to the sections, for there are a great many different mechanical constructions which would accomplish the same results.

Having fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A voting-booth comprising independent fiat frame-sections each extending entirely in one plane, and free from any substantial projection laterally therefrom whether in assembled or knocked down relation, and one or more shelves having at both ends sufficient means for engaging and holding parallel a pair of such sections and being completely detachable therefrom for purposes of storage.

2. A voting-booth comprisingindependent frame-sections, said sections each comprising a pair of inverted- U shaped telescoping frames, and means for holding said sections in their relative positions, said means comprising in its entirety a shelf, and fastening carried by said shelf for engagement with said sections.

3. A voting-booth comprising independent flat frame-sections each extending entirely in one plane, and being free from any substantial projection laterally therefrom, a shelf, and hooked plates secured to the ends of said shelf for detachably engaging said sections.

4. A device of the type set forth comprising a series of sections each composed of a frame having an upper member adapted to be received within the lower member, desks carrying clamping means at their ends adapted to be seen red to the lower member of the frame, and brace-rods secured to the desks adapted to engage in the said lower member of the frame, substantially as described.

5. A voting-booth comprising independent frame-sections, each formed of upper and lower members, said sections being free from any substantial laterally-projecting portions and means for securing said sections in their relative positions, said means comprising a shelf, clamps attached to the ends ofsaid shelf for detachably engaging said sections, and rods pivoted to said shelves and having their free ends hooked and adapted to be received in openings in the said sections.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. BARROW. WILLIAM H. BOWERS.

Witnesses:

MAYME HOGAN, T. B. MARTIN. 

